|
EURO 2008 GROUP B
Croatia 1-0 Germany 1700 BST
Austria v Poland 1945 BST
GOALFLASHES AND MAJOR INCIDENTS (all times BST)
 |
606: DEBATE
|
To get involved use 606 or text us your views & comments on 81111. (Not all contributions can be used)
1731: Remarkably, Croatia goal hero Darijo Srna is rock-bottom on our Player Rater, with just 4.57. That will change soon, surely…
1730: Sweet move from Croatia. Ivica Olic heads the ball back for Niko Kranjcar, who blazes over from an excellent position. Germany are reeling.
1729: “Quiet start for Germany but as they say ‘Frings can only get better’.”
Chris via text on 81111
Truly terrible. I am not publishing that. I refuse. Oh.
1727: Darijo Srna can’t keep out of the action. The Croatia winger gets the first yellow card of the game for a sliding challenge on Lukas Podolski.
1726: First shot on target, first goal. That should liven things up. Slaven Bilic celebrates by leaping into the arms of one of his coaching team.
1723: GOAL Croatia 1-0 Germany
Danijel Pranjic delivers a brilliant cross from the left and Darijo Srna sticks out a leg ahead of Marcell Jansen to prod the ball home. The German left-back seemed to fall asleep there.
1721: “Have Germany really had 100% possession after 15 minutes? Surely must be a record for a team not to touch the ball for so long…”
Richard, Berks, via text on 81111
Remarkable isn’t it? Hmm, it seems there may be some German bias in our stats for this game. Apologies.
1720: Clever little through ball from Luka Modric for Ivica Olic but Christoph Metzelder is there with a vital challenge.
1715: Croatia winger Darijo Sirna swings in a corner from the left which is headed on but there’s no one to apply the finishing touch.
1713: I think I see rain drops on Slaven Bilic’s slate grey suit. Am I the only one hoping for a downpour like the one we had in Basel last night?
1710: Mario Gomez lays the ball off for Lucas Podolski to have a pop from the edge of the box but his effort hits a Croatian defender. Germany looking lively here.
1709: Germany have their first corner of the game. Torsten Frings takes it but Croatia clear comfortably.
1705: Trouble for Darijo Srna, who needs some magic spray after a clash with German defender Christoph Metzelder. He’s OK though.
1703: The Croatian fans outnumber the Germans inside the teeny Worthersee Stadium and they’re making a helluva din as the two teams get into their stride.
1700: Belgian referee Frank De Bleeckere gets the game under way.
1657: A giant Croatian flag is unfurled in the stands as the anthems are played. “It’s like a red and white chessboard,” muses BBC commentator Jonathan Pearce. Indeed.
1652: I love the way they have a mini-opening ceremony for every single game. Quite right too. As the one in Klagenfurt reaches a crescendo, the giant football in the centre circle cracks open to reveal… Steve McClaren! No, I’m joking. It’s the flags of Croatia and Germany.
1650: “Re 1619: As an Arsenal fan I can assure you it’s worth testing Lehmann from just about anywhere on the pitch.”
Dan via text on 81111
1643: “I think Gattuso deserves a mention on the beard front. I know it’s nothing special but at least it’s consistent!”
owensgoinnowhere on 606
The beard equivalent of Germany perhaps?
1640: Anyone for a stat? Germany have lost one in eight against Croatia and that was a 3-0 drubbing in the quarter-finals of the 1998 World Cup. Current boss Slaven Bilic and defender Dario Simic, who’s on the bench today, were part of that side
1639: “Re 1631: But Darling Dave hasn’t hit a decent one since 2001, Cheese. Besides Andrea Pirlo is here and he’s always been the best.”
Gio Ferri, Glasgow, via text on 81111
1636: “This is most probably the toughest challenge in Germany’s group, and I do believe they will struggle against Croatia’s midfield. The likes of Modric, Srna and Olic will seriously trouble the not-so-decent defence duo of Metzelder and Metersacker.”
AndersonsRightWrist on 606
1631: Indeed, Euro 2008 has proved a disappointment on the facial hair front. And on a slightly more serious note, can anyone take a decent free-kick anymore? It almost makes you wish David Beckham and England had qualified. Almost.
1629: “Caroline, after seeing all the teams on view, any closer to the Beard of the Tournament winner? I say it’s between Metzelder and Melberg – few other wild men on show.”
sixgunrick on 606
1627: “1-1, Modric first goal. Currently available at 70-1. Surely that’s worth a punt?”
Scott, Birmingham, via text on 81111
Were I to be the type of person that encourages gambling, I’d almost certainly agree.
1625: “Germany have so much class in their team that I think they will win 4-1. Croatia are not in the same league.”
steeplewhite on 606
1624: Of course, England make their Euro 2008 bow today. Yup, Howard Webb, along with assistants Darren Cann and Michael Mullarkey, will be taking charge of Austria v Poland in Vienna later. Come on England.
1619: I really do believe this could be a lively little number. If Croatia can play for longer than the 25 minutes they managed against Austria, I think they might cause Germany a few problems. And surely it’s worth testing Jens Lehmann out with a few long-range punts?
1614: So Ivan Rakitic comes in for Croatia, replacing Mladen Petric, and is expected to play behind striker Ivica Olic. Germany are unchanged so Lucas Podolski stays on the left flank with Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose up front.
1609: TEAMS
Croatia: Pletikosa, Corluka, Robert Kovac, Simunic, Pranjic, Srna, Modric, Nico Kovac, Rakitic, Kranjcar, Olic. Subs: Galinovic, Runje, Simic, Vejic, Vukojevic, Kalinic, Pokrivac, Knezevic, Leko, Klasnic, Budan, Petric.
Germany: Lehmann, Lahm, Metzelder, Mertesacker, Jansen, Fritz, Frings, Ballack, Podolski, Gomez, Klose. Subs: Enke, Adler, Friedrich, Westermann, Rolfes, Schweinsteiger, Neuville, Trochowski, Hitzlsperger, Borowski, Odonkor, Kuranyi.
1607: After Switzerland crashed out of the tournament in heartbreaking fashion on Wednesday, co-hosts Austria could follow them later. Listen carefully, I shall say this only once*: if Germany avoid defeat, Austria will go out if they lose; if Croatia avoid defeat, Poland will go out if they lose.
*Not really. I’ll say it again. I just said that for effect.
1600: I’m wondering if Euro Two Thousand and Great actually Euro Two Thousand and Hates me. I sit through four humdrum matches at the weekend and then, boom, the tournament is set alight in spectacular fashion on Monday… ON MY DAY OFF! Am I bitter? Yes. Never mind. Croatia v Germany? Should be an absolute belter.
BIG MATCH STATS
Head-to-heads
Croatia and Germany have met on seven previous occasions with Croatia winning once and Germany winning five times.
Croatia’s sole victory over Germany came in the quarter-finals of the 1998 World Cup (3-0).
Their only previous European Championship meeting came in the quarter-finals of Euro 1996, when Germany beat Croatia 2-1. Croatia’s current head coach Slaven Bilic played in both of these matches against Germany.
Team facts – Croatia
Participating in the European Championship for the third time. Their best performance came in 1996 when they reached the last eight. Coach Slaven Bilic played in all four of Croatia’s matches that year.
Team facts – Germany
Won the European Championship a record three times (1972, 1980 and 1996).
Making a record 10th appearance at the European Championships. The Germans have been ever present since their victorious debut in 1972. They also hold the record for European Championship matches played (33) and won (16).
Three goals short of scoring 50 in European Championship competition.
Player facts – Croatia
Six players in the Croatia squad play in the German Bundesliga. Four of them meet a German team mate in this encounter: HSV’s Ivica Olic vs Piotr Trochowski, Hertha BSC’s Josip Simunic vs Arne Friedrich, Schalke 04’s Ivan Rakitic vs Heiko Westermann and Kevin Kuranyi and Werder Bremen’s Ivan Klasnic vs Clemens Fritz, Per Mertesacker, Tim Borowski and Torsten Frings.
Dario Simic, who did not play in the first group match, is Croatia’s record cap holder with 98 international matches. Simic has played four previous matches at the European Championship which makes him Croatia’s joint record holder in this competition.
Luka Modric’s penalty goal against Austria in the fourth minute marked the fastest ever penalty in the history of the European Championships. At 22 years and 273 days, Modric became the youngest Croatian goalscorer ever at this tournament, when he scored against Austria.
Robert Kovac will be suspended upon receiving another yellow card.
Player facts – Germany
If selected, Lukas Podolski will win his 50th cap for Germany in this match. He made his international debut on 6 June 2004 in a friendly against Hungary (2-0 defeat), and needs four more goals at Euro 2008 to bring his total of international goals (27) on an even keel with his career total of Bundesliga goals (31).
On Sunday, 9 June, Podolski became the first German to score more than once in a European Championship match since Oliver Bierhoff netted twice for Germany in the Euro 1996 final against Czech Republic (2-1).
Germany’s top European Championship scorers
MATCH STATS: AT A GLANCE
POSSESSION
Croatia
- 01 Pletikosa
- 05 Corluka
- 04 Kovac
- 03 Simunic
- 22 Pranjic
- 11 Srna
- 14 Modric
- 10 Kovac
- 07 Rakitic
- 19 Kranjcar
- 18 Olic
Germany
- 01 Lehmann
- 16 Lahm
- 21 Metzelder
- 17 Mertesacker
- 02 Jansen
- 04 Fritz
- 08 Frings
- 13 Ballack
- 20 Podolski
- 09 Gomez
- 11 Klose
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
|
Voice of Bihar 
Leave a comment